Word has gotten out that The Eugene Register-Guard is planning to move music and entertainment (Ticket) reporter Serena Markstrom to a news beat. Admitedly the R-G and EW have a friendly rivalry going on, and we cheerfully snark the daily whenever we can, but I don’t know that we’ve ever snarked Serena* because, let’s face it, she’s good.
Newspapers are facing draining resources and shrinking newsrooms. Local voices like Serena’s are what keep papers like the R-G relevant. Not only does she win praise from her readers and local musicians for her coverage of the Eugene scene, she can work PajamaJeans into a New Year’s Eve entertainment story.
So, EW thinks there needs to be a letter writing campaign: Keep Serena Writing Entertainment (why yes, we DID make a Facebook page, doesn’t every good cause need one? And we stole the photo from her Pinterest page.) Email works too. But remember, WRITE, it’s not enough to grumble or to just “like” a page.
Is it weird the alt weekly would start a letter-writing campaign in support of the compeition? (After all, the idea is the R-G is better with Serena on entertainment would mean EW is, gasp, trying to help the daily.) Maybe, but our alternative voice is better if the mainstream voice is good.
Like Serena’s writing? Like the coverage she’s given local musicians? Write the R-G and tell the editors that they need to keep her on the entertainment beat and tell them why.
Write a letter to the editor and make your opinion known: rgletters@registerguard.com.
Oh hell, write EWa letter to the editor, too: Letters@eugeneweekly.com
Editor and publisher Tony Baker: tony.baker@registerguard.com
Team Editor for Oregon Life, Food, Arts, Entertainment and Health/Fitness Mark Baker: mark.baker@registerguard.com
And if all else fails, drop Bob Welch a note. He’s a columnist that always seems to like a good cause: bob.welch@registerguard.com
* Yes, in journalism you do call people by their last names, but we know Serena and sometimes you have to break the AP style rules.